Saute the onion with half of the olive oil for about 2-3 minutes in a medium-sized pot. Add the leeks, continue to saute for about 4-5 more minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until the leeks are softened. If needed, you can add more hot water.

Pour the rest of the olive oil. Sprinkle fresh parsley and sumac all over it. Let it cool down first. Then, place it in a serving dish. Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled.

Boil the pasta with salty water following the instructions on the package, drain. Toss it with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, put aside.

Meanwhile in a medium size pot, saute crushed tomato with 1 tbsp olive oil for few minutes. Season it with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta, Roasted Red Peppers, Olives with Garlic and salmon or Tuna. Before serve sprinkle some parsley on top.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Cinnamon Orange Jam

(Tarcinli Portakal Receli)

Cook the oranges for about 45 minutes, drain. Cook for about 30 more minutes and drain. Let them cool down and put them into the freezer for about 2 hours. Cut them into tiny slices on a cutting board. Then cut every slice into 4. Cut the up and bottom parts off of the oranges (picture).

Place oranges, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in a medium pot. Melt the sugar at medium heat. First bring to boil, after 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 7-8 more minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Place Cinnamon Orange Jam in jars.

It is recommendable to eat the Cinnamon Orange Jam with Turkish yogurt:)

Peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise the eggplant. Cut the eggplant vertically in 3-4 pieces, each about 1 inch thick. Then cut again horizontally, each piece about 2 inches long. Soak in water with a tablespoon of salt for about 20 minutes. Then dry them with a paper towel.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry both sides of the eggplants until the colour turns light brown. After frying, place the eggplants on a plate with paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Meanwhile, cook the ground beef with the onions, salt and pepper. Then add the cubanelle pepper, crushed tomatoes and chickpeas. Cook for about 2 more minutes.

Lay out the eggplant pieces in ovenproof dish. Spread the ground beef mixture over the eggplants. Pour half a cup of water into the dish from the side. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Place the dish on middle rack of the oven and cook for about 30 minutes.

Mini Fruit Tarts

(Meyveli Mini Tartolet)

Whisk the egg with sugar in a small sauce pan. Add the vanilla extract and starch, whisk. Start to cook at medium low heat. Slowly add the warm milk, whisk constantly. When it gets thicker, cook for about one more minute while stirring. Turn the heat off. Place a paper towel across the top of the pot on the rim and cover. Let it cool down.

Fill the mini shells with the filling equally. Arrange the fruits over the tops and serve.

*If you like to make the pie crust, here is the recipe:)

Pie crust:
240 g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter, unsalted
3-4 tbsp cold water
Mix the flour and salt in an another bowl . Cut the butter in small pieces with a knife or grate. The dough should be in crumbs. Stir in cold water, knead. Give a ball shape to the dough, wrap with plastic. It will be ready to use after half an hour in the fridge.

Saute the onion, ground beef, salt and pepper at medium-low heat until all the water evaporates. Add the tomato and crushed tomato. Cook few more minutes until tomatoes are softened. Leave some juice in it!

Meanwhile, cut the bread in cubes. Place on an oven tray and drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper on top, toss. Preheat your oven to 175 C (350 F) and bake for about 10-15 minutes.

Place the bread cubes in a serving dish. Pour some yogurt sauce on them. Put the cooked ground beef all over it.

Melt the butter in a small skillet and add the red peppers. Pour over the dish when you see it starts bubbling. Serve while still hot.

Chocolate Gozleme

(Çikolatalı Gözleme)

Fold in the half the phyllo sheet. Spread the orange marmalade equally in the middle of the phyllo sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over it (picture). First fold the opposite sides to cover the filling. Then fold the 3rd side, brush the butter and lastly the 4th side to cover up the filling. Brush the butter on this side first.

Heat up the Teflon pan just under medium heat. Fry buttered side of Gozleme first. Brush some butter on the top and turn it over. Serve when both sides are reached golden brown. Serve while it is still hot. If you like sprinkle some chocolate over the top.

Chocolate Gozleme is a lovely breakfast or supper treat with TurkishTea .

Cook all the ingredients with 1/2 cup of hot water, except the kidney beans and sujuk at medium-low heat for about 10 minutes with the lid. Then add the kidney beans with 1/2 cup of hot water. Cover the lid and cook until beans are soften at medium heat. If necessary, add a little bit more hot water.

Fry the sujuk slices in the pan without butter on both sides. Don't over fry! Then, toss it with the cooked beans. Serve it with Turkish Rice Pilaf.

First, place the Romain on a service plate. Arrange the tomato, fig and Tulum Cheese. Sprinkle some sesame seeds. Drizzle some olive oil and pomegranate paste all over the salad. Serve immediately.*Tulum CheeseTulum cheese is traditionally made from sheep’s milk and ripened in a goat skin bag (tulum in Turkish). Tulum is aged for at least three months. The taste was salty and slightly sour. Tulum Cheese great with the Lavas Bread and Salads:)